I see you
In the faces of our children
I hear your joy
In their laughter
I feel your love embrace us all
As we hug one another close
You are here, my love
You are here
In the love that shimmers
In the darkness of the night
And the light of every day
You are here
You are here
You never truly went away
Pain comes, as it will
Shocking us with its cruel fangs
Sank into vulnerable flesh
It comes again and again
When least expected
For if we could foresee its coming
Would we not be better armored?
Prepared for the assault?
Yet, even when we see it coming
Or sense its stealth, somehow
The pain is still just as real
Just as excruciating
And even though we prepare for it
Still, we fall to our knees
Wounded and betrayed
By our own naivete
How could we be so stupid?
Pain comes, crushing us as it will
It comes
Six thousand beats and counting
Hearts forever stilled
Yet spirits shine a light to guide;
To inspire acts of love
Beat the drum and sing the honor songs
Of my people, of all peoples
Let the beat resound
Creator God, open ears
To hear six thousand beats and more
This Reconciliation Day
And let truth, though painful
Penetrate all hearts
And open wide the doors, once closed
Welcome all inside
Let all listen to six thousand beats and more,
though these hearts are forever stilled
Their Spirits guide us on
So, bless us now, Creator God
And heal the wounds of old
And wounds too freshly new
Creator God breathe into each
Gathered here today
A peace so longed for and so needed
In all our hearts today
Creator God bring healing now
For six thousand beats and more
Divine One
Please, help us set aside our small concerns
Help us see the broken people,
The people who have lapsed into despair,
Who see no reason to hope,
No way to go on
And if it is Your will
Grant us strength to stretch out a hand
In kindness and compassion
Show us, please,
Divine One,
Where we should be in unity
With those most in need
And grant us the tools and wherewithal
To make a difference
It stood on my path
Its maw opened wide
Showing sharp teeth
And I trembled inside
It stood on my path
Blocking my way
I stood still, like a rock
Willing my fear
To calm and to leave
It stood in my path
I, frozen in terror
No prayer could I utter
Back away, said a voice
Slow, slow, don’t you run
It’s protecting its young
And means you no harm
Then I seen the small muzzle
Poking out from beneath her
Comically, quizzically,
Trembling and scared
And I took a step back
My eyes never leaving the face
Of the mother, with hackles
All spiked in the air
One more, then another
My eyes locked with hers
Until, at last, she turned
Calling her cub to her
As she lumbered away
What fear did my presence unlock
For this great, furry creature
in its concern for its young
My heart ceased its racing
I breathed deeply and then
I turned on the path
And went home again
Longing, yearning
Searching, reaching
For What? For whom? And why?
Answers elude
And still the longing
Churning in my gut
Caught in an endless void
Seeking an unknown satisfaction
A taste is given
In morsels so small,
Microscopic, really
Hunger as deep as the ocean,
Unfathomably deep, dark, mystical
Belly aching,
Never satisfied
The hunger like a crocodile,
Ancient and cruel
Its claws scratching til I bleed
Answers like wisps of fog
Elude my grasp
‘Aw’, says the old and wizened One,
‘Give up now; Rest; Let go’,
For the answers are not mine to know
Gentle reprieve
The ocean swells,
Drags me under into the deeps
Where at last I rest
I sleep
One great bruise
Hues of purple and green,
One caused by violence
Of fists against flesh
Others by the brutality
Of words screamed and shouted
At bowed heads
Pain inflicted
Needing healing
That has yet to come
One great bruise
Delivered by uncaring hands
One great bruise, colorless but deep
Delivered by tongues on fire
That care not what pain they inflict
Who bears the shield
That would protect?
Where the arms
With tender embrace
To comfort and to heal?
Come forth!
Come forth!
You’re needed now
Let brutality fall away
And peace reside
I stand alone, but not alone
On this cold November Day
Remembering men and women, who
A century and more ago
Faced the guns and laid down lives
That we may meet again
In freedom and in peace
Across this land we remember you
With sad but grateful hearts
And let us pass on the command
To Remember this day
Lest we Forget
No, never again
The price for freedom
Was paid by those
Who lay in ditches and trenches,
While above the guns roared on and on and on
The guns were silenced
As they must be
In every land on earth
And let us not forget
No, never
That we each bear responsibility
To “let peace begin with me”
And never take for granted
This gift of yours,
You men and women
Who faced the guns
To grant us all the freedom
I stand alone, but not alone
As hearts and minds across this land
Remember you again
Divine One, I beg of you,
Stretch out your healing hand
So much hurt, so much pain
engulfs this world
Divine One, Do you see us?
Do you see the suffering?
So many ill, so many dying
Divine One, please
Stretch our your healing hand
Touch hardened hearts, touch mine, I plead
Grant my legs strength to walk abroad
Over hills and over vales
Divine One, touch my mind,
Help me understand
Bless these hands,
Let them work for you and for all people,
Those I know and love so well
And those I have yet to meet
Divine One, strengthen these arms
To lift the fallen ones
Give sweetness to my lips,
So that the words that fall from my mouth
May bring comfort to help sad hearts sing
Divine One, please
Deliver me and shield me please,
Now, as I go forth to serve and honour
Thee
(Please note: these words were given me as I lay in bed waiting for sleep to come. Do not ascribe these words to me but to the Divine One, who loves and watches over us all.)
Light refracted
Dancing energies
In every hue
Light redirected
In colors bright
Dancing on
Throughout the night
Darkness split
As light pours through
Out of focus
Mixed, untrue
And still, and yet
The dance goes on
chopkins2x3 